A Deal Too Far: Interviewers Balk at Jolie's Terms

By SHARON WAXMAN

Published: June 15, 2007

The pen is mightier than the sword, they say. But not, apparently, when celebrity gossip is part of the equation. Then the pen has to deal with a lawyer.

The international celebrity do-gooder Angelina Jolie found herself in a strange situation this week when she insisted that journalists at the premiere of her new movie about a murdered journalist -- a screening that was in itself an event on behalf of persecuted journalists -- sign an agreement limiting their questions and their use of her answers.

The agreement, while not unprecedented in Hollywood, did not go down well with the journalists. Ms. Jolie was granting interviews regarding her new film, ''A Mighty Heart,'' in which she plays Mariane Pearl, the wife of Daniel Pearl, the Wall Street Journal correspondent who was murdered by Islamic extremists in Pakistan. The film will be released by Paramount Vantage on June 22.

The movie premiere on Wednesday night at the Ziegfeld Theater in New York was a benefit for Reporters Without Borders, the Paris-based nonprofit organization that champions press freedom around the world.

Reporters hoping to interview Ms. Jolie were asked to sign a document forbidding them to ask her about her personal relationships. The agreement went on: ''The interview may only be used to promote the Picture. In no event may Interviewer or Media Outlet be entitled to run all or any portion of the interview in connection with any other story.'' And, ''the interview will not be used in a manner that is disparaging, demeaning or derogatory to Ms. Jolie.''

Most of the media outlets, including The Associated Press, declined to sign, Paramount said.

Ms. Jolie's lawyer, Robert Offer, said that the statement was the fault of a ''bone-headed, overzealous lawyer'' -- meaning himself -- and that his client was unaware of the move. ''This was my creating something to protect her from the press's talking about personal matters, a document that would limit discussion to the film,'' he said. "But it was drafted overly broadly. It was well intended, but I understand how it was received.''

Ms. Jolie herself declined to comment.

Still, this wasn't the first time such an agreement was used. Mr. Offer said journalists were asked to sign a similar agreement around the release of ''Mr. and Mrs. Smith,'' when Ms. Jolie and her co-star Brad Pitt caused a media firestorm over their apparent affair and the collapse of Mr. Pitt's marriage to Jennifer Aniston.

At the time, Mr. Offer said, journalists signed the agreement.

Ms. Jolie's manager, Geyer Kosinski, said the new document was meant to ''guide'' journalists, not control them, because Ms. Jolie has a tendency to speak frankly. ''She is an incredibly candid, honest person, who is undeterred herself in answering questions,'' he said. ''Our collective intention was to protect her.''

A spokeswoman for Paramount Vantage denied an accusation on the Foxnews.com Web site that Ms. Jolie had banned Fox from the red carpet at the premiere, and that it was given a spot only after the studio intervened. ''It was an omission,'' the spokeswoman said, ''an honest mistake.''

Photo: Angelina Jolie, shown with her co-star Dan Futterman on the set of ''A Mighty Heart,'' a film about Daniel and Mariane Pearl. (Photo by Sajjad Hussain/Agence France-Presse -- Getty Images)